Selector and ejector for bowling balls and pins



P. J. RUSSO 3,093,373

SELECTOR AND EJECTOR FOR BOWLING BALLS AND PINS June 11, 1963 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 29, 1959 Phi/4'0 J Russo INVENTOR.

Q BY 2652100; ZQ/mg P. J. RUSSO 3,093,373

SELECTOR AND EJECTOR FOR BOWLING BALLS AND PINS June 11, 1963 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 29, 1959 INVENTOR.

P/7/7ip J Russo BY WW Em June 11, 1963 P. J. RUSSO 3,093,373

SELECTOR AND EJECTOR FOR BOWLING BALLS AND PINS Filed Dec. 29:, 1959 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.6 1E- 6 I I: l

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y: g Q .21 ijaw 36 J i 52 f 1/ 82 /A M 96 60 Philip J. Russa INVENTOR caU BY m W 5 Attorney:

| l I I. I l 1 l l I I Unitd States Patent 3,093,373 SELECTOR ANDEJEGTORFOR BOWLING BALLS AND PINS Philip J. Russo, 1401 Boulevard, NewHaven, Conn. Filed Dec. 29, 1959, Ser. No. 862,597 15 Claims. (Cl.273-43) This invention comprises a novel and useful selector and ejectorfor bowling balls and pins and more particularly relates to an apparatusto effect with a greater certainty the ejection of bowling balls andbowling pins from the elevator mechanism of an automatic bowling pinsetter at their respective ball and pin ejection stations.

The subject matter of this invention is similar tothat of my priorcopending applications Serial No. 760,432 filed September 11, 1958, nowPatent No. 3,044,775, and Serial No. 800,571 filed March 19, 1959. As inmy preceding applications, the primary object of this invention is toprovide a means and a method to eiiect the selected discharge of bowlingballs and bowling pins from the ball and pin elevating mechanism forminga part of an automatic pin setter.

An important object of the invention is to provide a mechanism wherebywith only slight structural altera- 'tions the conventional elevatormechanism of an automatic bowling pin setter may be easily converted toeffect withce'rtainty the automatic ejection of either unbanded duckpinsor rubber banded duckpins at the pin ejection station of the mechanism.

Another object is to provide a means, in accordance with the precedingobject whereby the mechanism of this invention can be easily altered toconvert it from hard duckpins to the handling of rubber banded duckpinsand vice versa.

. A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism inaccordance with the foregoing objects which shall be capable of ejectingwith equal facility rubber banded duckpins whether the same are carriedin their erect or in their inverted position by the support bars of theelevating mechanism.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a means which willefiectively prevent the accidental and undesired ejection of pins at theball ejection station of the apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means to shift eitherthe hard pin or the rubber banded pin on the support bars ofthe elevatormechanism to both prevent the ejection of the pin at the ball ejectionstation and to better position the pin to ensure :and facilitate itsejection at the pin ejecting station of the apparatus.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an ejectormechanism which will impart a purely horizontal lateral thrust withoutan upward component of movement to the pin during the ejection of thelatter from the elevator mechanism at the pin ejection station.

A still further and important object of the invention is to provide amechanism which will simplify as much as possible the automatic ejectionof balls and pins from the elevating mechanism of a bowling pin setter.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a support barconstruction for the elevator chains of the automatic .pin settingmechanism which is especially adapted for use in handling rubber bandedpins and bowling balls.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully herein-after described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numrals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURES 1-3 are fragmentary views in vertical sec- 3,093,373 PatentedJune 11 1963 "ice tion through a bowling'ball and pin elevator mechanismof an automatic bowling pin setting machine of aconventional type" butshowing the ejecting mechanism of this invention and its operation-forejecting unbanded or hard duckpins from the elevator mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal viewthrou'g'h a portion of the elevatormechanism and showing the mounting of the pin ejector thereon; FIGURE 5is a perspective view of the pin ejector which is employed to ejectballs and' pins at the ball and pin ejection stations respectively ofthe apparatus;

FIGURES 6 and 7 are'fragmentary views similar to FIGURES l-3 but showingthe modified mechanism and its operation for ejecting rubber banded pinsfrom the elevator mechanism;

FIGURE 8 is a view of a further modified construction of the pinejecting mechanism of FIGURES 6 and 7 by which a horizontal line thrustis impantedto the pin for ejecting the same from the elevator andshowing a rubber banded pin in full lines in its normal position and indotted lines in a reverse position on the support bars of the elevator;

FIGURE 9 is a horizontal view of the ejecting mechanism of FIGURES;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of the construction of the novel pinand'ball' support bars ofthe elevator mechanism, which are especiallyadapted for handling -rubber banded duekpins; and

FIGURE 1 1 is a horizontal view showing the support bars of FIGURE 10 inuse.

Although the present invention is not limited thereto, it isparticularly applicable for association and use with the automatic balland pin elevating mechanism forming a part of a conventional automaticbowling pin setting machine such as the Sherman pin setter. Sinceelevator mechanisms and automatic pin setting machines of this type arewell understood by those skilled in the art, a detailed description ofthe construction and operation of the same is deemed to be unnecessaryfor an understand- 40 ing of the construction and operation of thepresent invention. Briefly, however, it will be observed that a portionof the elevator mechanism for the balls and pins of the pin settingmachine has been illustrated the same consisting of two pairs ofvertically extending conveyor chains. As will be best understood fromFIGURE 1 in conjunction with FIGURE 4, the four conveyor chains aredisposed in two pairs of chains forming a vertical passage therebctweenthrough which the pins and balls are elevated with the chains of eachpair being disposed in parallel relation.

Thus, there is in each pair a front chain 10 and a rear chain 12 mountedfor vertical travel in parallel'vertical planes, with the verticalflights of the chains 10 and 1-2 of one pair confronting those of anadjacent pair. A pluralityof support bars or supports 14 are provided,each pair of supports consisting of one bar 14 carried by chains 10and,12 of one pair and disposed in parallel relation .to a similar barcarried by the corresponding chains of the other pair of chains. Thesebars are spaced from each other a suflicient distance whereby they maysupport upon their. top surface either a bowling ball or a bowling pin.

In the case of the usual hard or unbanded duekpin 16 due to the positionof the center of gravity, the neck of the pin will lie in dependingrelation between a pair of support bars 14 with. the enlarged lowerportion of the pin being carried by the top surface of the support bars.

The conventional Sherman pin' setting machine, owning to the necessaryclose tolerances and shapes in the components thereof, will not handlerubber banded pins.

In the case of a rubber banded duckpin 18, the pin is seated upon thesupport bars by its rubber band 20 and since the latter has parallelannular flat top and bottom surfaces, such a pin is inherently capableof resting in stable position upon the support bars in either the fullline position shown at 18 in FIGURE 8 which is the normal position ofthe pin when carried by the elevating mechanism or in a relativelyinverted position shown in dotted lines at 22 in FIGURE 8.

In accordance with the operation of conventional elevating mechanisms,only hard or unbanded duckpins 16 are handled by the elevator, thepresent invention being adapted to handle with equal facility afterappropriate slight adaptations of the mechanism, either the plainunbanded pins or the rubber banded duckpins.

The conventional elevator mechanism also includes vertically spacedejection stations at which the balls and pins carried by the supportbars 14 of the elevator mechanism are selectively ejected, thesecomprising a lower ball ejection station indicated by the numeral 30 andby means of which bowling balls ejected from the apparatus are returnedto the bowler for use in a manner which forms no part of the presentinvention. There is also provided in such conventional mechanisms anupper station 32 constituting the pin ejection station and which isusually provided with a conveyor belt 33 by which the bowling pinsejected at that station are delivered to the pin setting mechanism ofthe automatic pin setting mac me.

In the'Sherman machine, an entirelydifferent mechanism is provided atthe station 30 to eject balls from the elevator from that provided atthe station 32 to eject pins, it being necessary to precisely coordinateand synchronize the drive means for the two ejectors with that of theelevator. In the present invention, however, cooperating with the twostations and disposed on opposite sides of the elevator mechanismtherefrom are a pair of ejector means 34 and 36 for the two stationsrespectively identical in principle but of slightly differentproperties. These ejector means are automatically operated by thesupport bars 14 of the elevator chains in a manner to be subsequentlyset forth and which are described in detail and claimed in my priorPatent No. 3,044,775. Since both of the ejector means 34 and 36 areidentical in principle and of similar construction, the description ofone will suflice for an understanding of both. Accordingly, attention isnow directed to FIGURE wherein it will be seen that each ejector meansconsists of a flat metal plate 40 constituting an ejector blade havingone edge formed as a tubular bead 42 by means of which the ejector bladeis pivotally mounted upon a pivot pin 44, see FIGURE 1, which pivot pinin turn is mounted by bearing blocks 46 secured to any suitable portionof the elevator mechanism framework. v

The opposite edge of the blade 40 from the pivot bead 42 is providedwith a recessed portion 48 which terminates in a pair of ends 50. .Atthe midportion of the recess a portion of the material of the plate 40is bent or stretched downwardly at 52 in an angular relation to thefingers 50 as will be apparent from FIGURES 1-3. The fingers 50 compriseactuating fingers for the ejector blade 40 while the tab 52 comprises athrust or ejector finger which imparts the desired lateral thrust to thebowling ball or the bowling pin for the purpose of ejecting the latterfrom a the support bars 14.

A pair of limit stops 60 and 61 are mounted upon a suitable portion ofthe framework of the apparatus in appropriate position adjacent eachejector means shown at 32 or 34 whereby the stop member 60 will engagethe ejector. finger 52 and limit swinging movement of the ejectorblade'in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURES 1-3, 6-8 andwill stop or hold the ejector thrust or ejector finger 52 whereby thelatter will engage the ball or pin and discharge the same laterally fromthe support bars at the respective ball or pin discharge stations 30 and32.

It will be understood that the two actuator fingers 50 are so positionedthat they will each rest upon the top surface of the pair of supportbars as the latter move upwardly past the ejector means with the ejectorfinger 52 being disposed for movement between the two support bars.Thus, the upward movement of the support bars which carries the bowlingball or bowling pin thereon will produce an upward swinging of theejector means whereby the ejector finger will impart an upward andoutward thrust to the ball or pin and thus eject the same from theconveyor. In my prior Patent No. 3,044,775 there is set forth a full anddetailed description of the operation of this ejector means.

The invention disclosed and claimed in this application relates to theconventional Sherman pin setter machine construction previouslydescribed and constitutes improvements thereover. Reference is madefirst to the invention as disclosed in FIGURES 1-5 which relates to theform of machine adapted to handle the hard or unbanded duckpins, afterwhich the further changes necessary in the machine to enable it tohandle rubber banded duckpins will be discussed in connection withFIGURES 6-11.

In modifying and adapting the operation of the Sherman machine forhandling hard duckpins in accordance with this invention, the followingstructural changes, described in detail hereinafter, are required:

(1) A ball and pin shifting cam 72 is added.

(2) A ball ejector 34 and a pin ejector 36 of simplified constructionare substituted for the Sherman ball and pin ejector.

(3) Limit stops 60 and 61 are added for each ejector (4) A guide member63.

Referring specifically to FIGURES 1 and 2 it will be observed that thereis secured to a suitable portion of the framework of the elevatormechanism a cam member 72 which extends between the opposed pairs ofconveyor chains and lies within each pair of support bars 14 as thelatter moves upwardly as seen in FIG. 4. The cam member has a lowerportion 74 which is inclined upwardly and inwardly between the conveyorchains to a portion 76, from which the remaining upper portion of thecam member inclines upwardly and outwardly.

The purpose of the cam member 72 is to effect a lateral shifting and atilting of the bowling pin 16 upon its support bars 14 in order that thepin may successfully pass the ball ejector 34 and thus avoid beingejected at the ball ejection station 30, and whereby the pin will befurther more effectively positioned for engagement by and ejection bythe pin ejector 36 at the pin ejection station 32. The cam member 72cooperates with the specific shape of the top surface of the supportbars 14 to effect this purpose in the following manner.

The support bars 14 of the conventional Sherman machine have their topsurfaces inclined downwardly from their ends towards their centralportions whereby balls and pins will tend normally to seat in therecessed central portion.

As the bowling pin 16 is lifted vertically by the elevator mechanism asshown in FIGURE 1, it first strikes the cam surface of the portion 74and is then and by means of engaging this cam surface as the pin islifted therealong, tilted or inclined with its upper portion towards theright and is shifted on the support barstowards the right as shown inFIGURE 1. Since the pin has a rounded surface which engages thepreviously mentioned inclined surface of each support bar, it is thusreadily tilted and shifted towards the right upon the support bar andthus moves the pin upwardly from the central depression and up theinclined surface at the right end of the bar.

However, as soon as the bowling pin has passed the point 76 of the cammember 72, it encounters the oppositely inclined receding cam surface ofthe upper portion of the cam member and the natural center of gravity ofthe pin causes the same to tilt in the opposite direction so that thelarge portion of the pin will ride against the upper cam surface asshown in FIGURE 2. As the pin tilts so that its axis is inclined towardsthe left as in FIGURE 2, the extent of this tilting is limited by aguiding action of the upper portion of the cam 72. Thus, the cam member72 engages and supports the enlarged portion of the pin while as shownin FIGURE 2 the guide surface of the guide member 63, attached to thestop 60, engages the neck of the pin. In this manner the pin axis isinclined at an angle of about 30 to 69 to the horizontal and usuallyabout 45. This opposite tilting of the pin as shown in FIGURE 2 willcause the same to clear the ball ejector 34 as suggested in FIGURE 2 sothat the recess 48 in the ejector will permit the displaced upperportion of the pin to pass therethrough.

As the elevator conveys the pin still further upwardly, the pin being nolonger supported by the cam 72 will slide to the left to and slightlypast the center of the support bars and will now again tilt towards theright as shown in FIGURE 3 and thus be properly positioned forengagement by the ejector finger 52 to the best advantage. The ejectingoperation is just beginning in FIGURE 3 and it will be understood thatfurther upward travel of the support bars 14 will lift the actuatorfingers 50, causing the ejector finger 52 to rapidly engage and push thepin out of the elevator mechanism and onto the belt conveyor 33 at thepin ejection station 32.

When the elevator lifts a bowling ball on the support bars, the ballwill necessarily be shifted momentarily from its central position on thebars 14 by the cam surface 74, 76. This however is incidental and servesno useful purpose and the ball at once returns to its central positionon the bars after the point 76 is passed.

Reference is now made specifically to FIGURES 6-8 for an understandingof the modified construction and operation of the mechanism when rubberbanded duckpins 18 are being lifted by the elevator mechanism.

In modifying the Sherman machine to enable it to handle rubber bandedpins, the structural alterations required are:

(1) The Sherman support bars are replaced by the support bars of FIGURE10.

(2) A pin positioning cam roller 65 is added.

(3) A pin shifter cam 80 is added.

(4) Ball ejector 34 and pin ejector 36 are substituted for the Shermanejectors.

(5) Limit stops 60, 61 for each ejector 34, 36 are added.

(6) Pin orienting stop 67 is added.

(7) A lateral thrust ejector lever 90 is added.

As in the preceding arrangement there is also provided a cam membershown at 80 for shifting the pins on the support bars. However, this cammember is disposed on the opposite side of the elevator mechanism fromthe cam member 72 previously described. It includes a relatively longupwardly and inwardly sloping or inclined portion 82 which at the point84 joins with an upwardly and outwardly inclined upper portion 86. As inthe preceding embodiment, this cam member may be in the form of a bandor strap which is rigidly secured at its two ends toappropriate'portions of the frame of the elevating mechanism.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 6-11, and which isspecifically adapted to handle rubber banded duckpins, a novelconstruction of support bar 71, shown in FIGURES 10 and 11, issubstituted for the conventional support bars 14.

Thus, the support bars 71 are rectangular in cross-section having afiat, planar top surface 73 of varying width upon which the bands 20 ofthe rubber banded pins 18 6 are slidably seated in either their normal,inverted position of FIGURES 6, 7 and shown in full lines in FIG URE 8or in the occasional erect position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 8.

The inner or adjacent vertical faces of each pair of bars is indicatedat 75 while the opposite or outer vertical faces are shown at '77.Laterally projecting outwardly from the faces 77 are bifurcated lugs 79which are slidably guided as shown in FIGURE 11 on the edges of housingplates 19 with which the conventional Sherman pin setter is provided toenclose the elevator chains.

Tapering, beveled surfaces 87 are provided extending from the ends 'ofthe bars 71 to the midportion thereof upon the adjacent edge portions ofthe top and side surfaces 73 and 75 to provide a recessed portion ofgreatest depth and width at the center of the bar. This serves toreceive and normally retain a bowling ball at the center of the bars.

At the ejection end of the bars a beveled or cutaway surface 83 isprovided in the top surface 73 and the outer vertical face 77. Thepurpose of this structure is to reduce the width of the top surface 73of the bar, at its ejection end to a relatively narrow rib 85, therebyreducing sliding friction of the rubber band 20 on the bar to a minimum.

The arrangement is such that as the rubber banded duckpin 18 in eitherits normal or inverted position is carried upwardly by the support bars,it will engage by the band 20 the cam surface of the lower portion 82 ofthe cam member 80. This will gradually shift the pin upon the supportbars laterally away from the ball ejector means 34 previously described,the pin being supported in a horizontal position by means of the annularflat downwardly facing surface of the rubber band 20 during its travel.By virtue of this lateral displacement, the pin will therefore be sopositioned relative to the ejector. 34 that when the latter is operatedautomatically by passage of the support bars 71 thereby, the ejectorwill be ineffective to discharge the pin from the elevator.

However, when the ball ejector 34- is actuated, its ejector finger 52,as shown in 'FIGURE 7, will engage the undersurface of the band 20 andlift that side of the band and pin and slide them towards the right. Thepin is thereby shifted closer to the pin ejector 36 by the action of theball ejector 34.

When the pin reaches the pin ejector 36 opposite the pin ejectionstation 3 2, the ejector means 36 will be effective to have its ejectorfinger 52 engage the large portion of the pin beneath the band 20 andthus lift and tilt the pin while ejecting it from the support bars.

It is necessary for the successful operation of the Sherman pin setterwhen modified in accordance with this invention for handling rubberbanded pins/that the pins shall emerge at the pin ejection station 32onto the con veyor 33 butt first. This automatically occurs when hard'or unbanded duckpins are being handled. In their normal invertedposition, see the full line showing in FIGURE 8, the pin when ejectedwill strike its depending neck against the end of the conveyor 33 thusensuring that the pin will rest butt first on the conveyor. However,with rubber banded pins, it is possible for the pin to occasionallybecome seated in the dotted line position of FIGURE 8 on the supportbars. In that case, since the pin neck is upward, it would not strikethe conveyor end 33 and might emerge neck first, thereby jamming themagazine of the machine. To avoid this possibility, there is provided anorienting stop 67 which is suitably mounted upon the framework of theelevator and is so positioned relative to the pin ejection station thatwhen the pin is discharged from the support bars 71 by the pin ejector36, the neck of the pin will strike the stop 67 causing the pin to turnand drop upon the conveyor 33 in a butt first position.

As just described, the pin has been displaced to the left of its centralposition on the bars 71 by the cam 82 a sufficient distance so that theball ejector 34 will not strike the body of the pin and therebyinevitably eject it, but will engage the band, draw the pin to the rightand better position it for the pin ejector 36 to discharge it at the pinejector station.

Occasionally a pin will become seated on the support bars 71 so far tothe left that it will not be engaged by the cam member 82 or eitherejector 34 or 36. To overcome this possibility there is provided a pinpositioning camming element which may be in the form of a roller cam 65in the form of a cylindrical roller suitably mounted upon the frame ofthe machine and positioned to engage the left side of the rubber band 20when the pin is positioned too far to the left on the support bars andshift the pin towards the right to the desired position for furthershifting action by the ball ejector finger as previously set forth; orfor action by the longer or the extended ejector finger of the pinejector as previously described.

It will further be understood that when balls are carried by the supportbars, the cam means previously described will likewise cause adisplacement of or shifting of the balls upon support bars. However,owing to the inclined or beveled surfaces 87 of the support bars, theballs will promptly return to their original center position' thereon.Consequently, the operation of the ball ejector will-not be affected bythe shifting of the balls upon the support bars.

In some instances it is preferred in the ejection of rubber banded pinsto impart a horizontal thrust thereto in a straight line from theejector means towards the ejection station, to thus discharge or slidethe pins from the support bars without tilting the pins in the mannershown in FIGURE 7. For this purpose there is provided an ejectorassister which as shown in FIGURE 8 consists of an elongated strap orbar 90 having its upper end pivoted as by a pivot pin 92 to a suitablejournal block 94 and with its lower end having an arcuate portion 96.The lower portion is disposed between the ejector means 36 and theelevator mechanism whereby a swinging movement towards and from theejection station 32 will be imparted to the assister ejector 90 by theaction of the ejector means 36.

The curvature of the face of the portion 96 of the ejector assisterwhich engages the rubber band 20 of the duckpin is of such contour thatthe thrust imparted by this face of the ejector assister to the rubberband of the pin will lie either in or below the horizontal plane givingthe pivotal swinging movement of the member 90 to thus impart a straightline thrust which will slide the rubber banded pin from the support barsand eject the pin at the ejection station 32.

It is obvious that other structure than that illustrated couldbedesigned and employed to carry out the principles and the method ofthis invention. The method consists in the steps of shifting a bowlingpin upon the support bars of the elevator mechanism so that the pin willassume a position on the support bars and an inclination which willenable it to pass the ball ejector without being ejected by the latterand yet thereafter will automatically be affected by the center ofgravity and the inclining surfaces on the top of the support bars andreturned to a position where it will be most effectively engaged by thepin ejector. Thus the apparatus will enable the elevating mechanismwhich handles both bowling balls and bowling pins indiscriminately toeffectively distinguish between the presence of a bowling ball or abowling pin at the ball ejection station whereby only the ball will beejected; and which will facilitate and ensure the ejection of the pinwhether a rubber banded duckpin in either normal or inverted position oran unbanded duckpin, at the pin ejection station.

When it is desired to convert the device of the present invention fromthe handling of hard or unbanded duckpins to the handling of rubberbanded duckpins, the device can be easily altered by the followingsteps:

(1) The pin shifting cam 72 of FIGURE 1 is removed and replaced by theshifting cam and the member 65 of FIGURE 6;

(2) The support bars 14 of FIGURE 1 are replaced by the support bars 71of FIGURE 10;

(3) The clearance between the pin conveyor 33 and the elevator will beincreased;

(4) The ejectors 36 will be replaced by ejectors having longer ejectorfingers 50;

(5) The ejector assister may be installed.

(6) The bar 67 of FIGURE 8 will be installed.

For converting a device handling rubber banded pins to one for handlinghard or unbanded duckpins a reversed procedure which will be readilyapparent will be employed.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In the combination of a bowling ball and pin elevator, a supportframe, vertically moving elevating means mounted upon said frame,vertically spaced pairs of horizontally spaced supports on saidelevating means, each pair ofsupports being positioned for supportingthereon and therebetween bowling balls or bowling pins, verticallyspaced ball and pin stations at which balls and pins are to berespectively ejected from said elevating means, ejector means positionedat each of said stations at the opposite side of the elevator therefromand each operable to eject a ball or pin from said elevator at itsrespective station, means for effecting operation of each ejector bymovement of said supports past the latter, means including a cam mountedin fixed relation to said elevator and said ball ejector and extendinginto the path of travel of balls and pins carried by said supports forshifting a ball or pin on said supports toward said ball ejector and forsubsequently allowing the pin after said shifting to tilt by its centerof gravity away from said ball ejector whereby to clear the latter andavoid ejection thereby at the ball ejection station.

2. In the combination of a bowling ball and pin elevator, a supportframe, vertically moving elevating means mounted upon said frame,vertically spaced pairs of horizontally spaced supports on saidelevating means, each pair of supports being positioned for supportingthereon and therebetween bowling balls or bowling pins, verticallyspaced ball and pin stations at which balls and pins are to berespectively ejected from said elevating means, ejector means positionedat each of said stations at the opposite side of the elevator therefromand each operable to eject a ball or pin from said elevator at itsrespective station, an injection assister, means mounting said assisterfor to and fro movement between said pin ejector and said pin ejectorstation for imparting upon actuation by said pin ejector an ejectingthrust to said pin in a horizontal direction and towards said pinejection station.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said assister comprises avertically elongated bar, said mounting means pivotally supporting theupper end of said bar, said bar at its lower end having a curved contactsurface for engaging the side of a pin and of a curvature such that thethrust of said bar during pivoting of the latter maintains the thrust ofsaid bar against the pin in a horizontal plane.

4. In the combination of a bowling ball and pin elevator, a supportframe, vertically moving elevating means mounted upon said frame,vertically spaced pairs of horizontally spaced supports on saidelevating means, each 9 pair of supports being positioned for supportingthereon and therebetween bowling balls or bowling pins, verticallyspaced ball and pin stations at which balls and pins are to berespectively ejected from said elevating means, ejector means positionedat each of said stations at the opposite side of the elevator therefromand each operable to eject a ball or pin from said elevator at itsrespective station, said supports having each a top surface forsupporting thereon a ball or the enlarged base portion of a pin with theneck of the pin projecting downwardly between said supports, said topsurfaces being depressed at an intermediate portion and inclinedupwardly towards the opposite ends of the support whereby t-o normallyseat a ball or pin upon said depressed intermediate portion, meansincluding a cam disposed to shift said pin upon said inclined portionwhereby the center of gravity of the pin will tilt the larger diameterportion of said pin away from said ball ejector and thereby preventejection of the pin thereby.

5. In the combination of a bowling ball and pin elevator, a supportframe, vertically moving elevating means mounted upon said frame,vertically spaced pairs of horizontally spaced supports on saidelevating means, each pair of supports being positioned for supportingthereon and therebetween bowling balls or bowling pins, verticallyspaced ball and pin discharge stations at which balls and pins are to berespectively ejected from said pairs of supports, ejector meanspositioned each at one of said stations and at the opposite side of theelevator therefrom and each operable to eject at their respectivestations a ball or pin from said pairs of supports, means for effectingoperation of each ejector by movement of said supports past the ejector,means including a cam mounted in fixed relation to said elevating meansand said ball ejector and extending into the path of travel of balls andpins carried by said supports for shifting a pin upon its associatedsupports relative to said ball ejector a distance sufiicient to renderthe latter ineffective toeject said pin.

6. In the combination of a bowling ball and pin elevator, a supportframe, vertically moving elevating means mounted upon said frame,vertically spaced pairs of horizontally spaced supports on saidelevating means, each pair of supports being positioned for supportingthereon and therebetween bowling balls or bowling pins, verticallyspaced ball and pin discharge stations at which balls and pins are to berespectively ejected from said pairs of supports, a pair of ball and pinejectors of identical construction mounted each at one of said dischargestations but on the opposite side of the elevating means therefrom,means for operating each ejector when a pair of supports passes theejector and the associated discharge station, means for displacing a pinupon said supports to a position where the ball ejector will beineffective to eject the pin at the ball discharge station.

7. In the combination of a bowling ball and pin elevator, a supportframe, vertically moving elevating means mounted upon said frame,vertically spaced pairs of horizontally spaced supports on saidelevating means, each pair of supports being positioned for supportingthereon and therebetween bowling balls or bowling pins, verticallyspaced ball and pin discharge stations at which balls and pins are to berespectively ejected from said pairs of supports, a pair of ball and pinejectors of identical construction mounted each at one of said dischargestations but on the opposite side of the elevating means therefrom,means for operating each ejector when a pair of supports passes theejector and the associated discharge station, a ball ejector disposed atsaid ball ejector station but on the opposite side of the elevatingmeans therefrom, means mounting said ejector *for swinging movementtowards said ball discharge station in an ejecting stroke, means forcausing an ejecting stroke of said ball ejector each time a pair ofsupports passes said ball ejector and said ball discharge station, meansfor shifting the position of a pin in advance of passage of the pin pastsaid ball 10 ejector to a position upon the supports in which the ballejector will be ineffective to eject the pin at the ball dischargestation.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein said last mentioned meanscomprises a stationary cam disposed adjacent to the ball dischargestation and prior thereto and on the same side of the elevating meanstherewith, said cam projecting between the supports of each pair in aposition to engage a pin carried by said supports and shift it towardssaid ball ejector for tilting away from the latter.

9. The combination of claim -6 wherein said last named means comprises astationary cam positioned adjacent and in advance of the ball ejector,said cam projecting between the supports of each pair and disposed toshift a pin carried by said supponts away from the ball ejector asufficient distance to escape ejection at said ball discharge station.

10. The oombination of claim 8 including guide means disposed oppositesaid cam, said cam and guide means cooperatively engaging the ends of apin for limiting the tilting movement thereof.

11. In the combination of a bowling ball and pin elevator, a supportframe, vertically moving elevating means mounted upon said frame,vertically spaced pairs of horizontally spaced supports on saidelevating means, each pair of supports being positioned for supportingthereon and therebetween bowling balls or bowling pins, verticallyspaced ball and pin ejectors, vertically spaced ball and pin dischargestations associated with said ejeotors but on the opposite side of theelevating means therefrom, means for operating each ejector when a pairof supports passes the ejector and the associated discharge station,said ball ejector having an ejector finger movable between the supportsof each pair during the operation of the ejector, means disposed inadvance of and adjacent said ball ejector for displacing a rubber bandedpin upon said supports away from said ball ejector a sufficient distanceto prevent said ejector finger from engaging said pin but enabling it toengage the under surface of the rubber pin and upon operation of saidfinger to lift and tilt the pin and slide it on said supports towardssaid ejectors and position it for engagement by the pin ejector.

12. The combination of claim 11 including means movably mounted adjacentsaid pin ejector and disposed between the latter and said pin dischargestation for engagement by said pin ejector on its ejecting stroke andimparting a horizontal thrust to said pin towards said dischargestation.

13. The combination of claim 5 including means movably mounted adjacentsaid pin ejector and disposed between the latter and said pin dischargestation for engagement by said pin ejector on its ejecting stroke andimparting a horizontal thrust to said pin towards said dischargestation.

14. A method for selectively ejecting bowling balls and rubber bandedbowling pins from an elevator of the type having ventically spaced,vertically moving supports for lifting balls and pins to verticallyspaced discharge stations and having an ejector at each station forejecting a ball or pin thereat comprising; ejecting balls from saidsupports at the ball discharge station, shifiting the pin on its supporttoward the ball discharge station out of the path of eifeotive ejectingmovement of the ejector at the ball discharge station, lifting the pinat its side remote from the discharge stations and moving it toward thepin ejector and thereafter ejecting the pin from the support at the pindischarge station.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein during the last mentioned step thepins are ejected from the supports by a horizontal thrust applied to(the pins in the direction of the pin discharge station.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 12 Parra et a1. Feb. 8, 1944 Farm et a1.Feb. 8, 1944 Parry May 31, 1955 Janes Dec. 15, 1959 Sherman Jan. 12,1960

6. IN THE COMBINATION OF A BOWLING BALL AND PIN ELEVATOR, A SUPPORTFRAME, VERTICALLY MOVING ELEVATING MEANS MOUNTED UPON SAID FRAME,VERTICALLY SPACED PAIRS OF HORIZONTALLY SPACED SUPPORTS ON SAIDELEVATING MEANS, EACH PAIR OF SUPPORTS BEING POSITIONED FOR SUPPORTINGTHEREON AND THEREBETWEEN BOWLING BALLS OR BOWLING PINS, VERTICALLYSPACED BALL AND PIN DISCHARGE STATIONS AT WHICH BALLS AND PINS ARE TO BERESPECTIVELY EJECTED FROM SAID PAIRS OF SUPPORTS, A PAIR OF BALL AND PINEJECTORS OF IDENTICAL CON-